TIFF48: Platform Program Announced; Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki, Anthony Shim to Lead Jury

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TIFF today unveiled the 10 World Premiere features that will comprise the Platform program for 2023, along with the 2023 Platform jury members: Academy Award–winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins serves as jury chair, joined by Cannes Jury Prize–winning director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki, and 2022 Platform Prize–winning filmmaker Anthony Shim. The 48th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 7-17, 2023.

Since its introduction in 2015, Platform has celebrated and showcased films with unique directorial perspectives. The 10 films in the 2023 program are eligible for the Platform Prize, an award of $20,000 CAD given to the best film in the program, selected by an in-person international jury. 

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“I am delighted to announce that we have an international dream jury with acclaimed filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki, and Anthony Shim as jury members for the Platform program at TIFF,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Together, they represent the bold and independent spirit of the Platform Prize.”

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Platform is TIFF’s competitive program that champions bold directorial visions. The films selected for this year’s program hail from 12 countries across three continents, all of which will be making their World Premiere at TIFF. Notable previous Platform selections include 2022 winner Riceboy Sleeps from Canadian director Anthony Shim, Hany Abu-Assad’s Huda’s Salon (2021), Kamila Andini’s Yuni (2021), Darius Marder’s Oscar-winning Sound of Metal (2019), Alice Winocour’s Proxima (2019), Kazik Radwanski’s Anne at 13,000 Ft. (2019), Sarah Gavron’s Rocks (2019), Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin (2017), Pablo Larraín’s Oscar-nominated Jackie (2016), Barry Jenkins’ Oscar-winning Moonlight (2016), William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth (2016), and Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise (2015). 

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“We are thrilled to present this year’s extraordinary films in the Platform program, and especially delighted to present Kristoffer Borgli’s latest film Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, as Platform’s opening film. This surrealist satire-comedy has sharp, timely observations about social media culture — especially ‘going viral’ — and its impact on the way that we interact with others in our day-to-day life. Cage delivers some of his finest work,” said Robyn Citizen, Director, Programming & Platform Lead. “This year’s diverse selection is distinguished by bold character studies and classic stories told through dynamic narrative and genre approaches. Audiences will witness the emergence of thematic threads like social exile and reconnection, woven in unexpectedly thrilling ways by an array of captivating local and international voices.” 

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Academy Award–winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins has directed three highly acclaimed features that screened at TIFF — Medicine for Melancholy, Moonlight, and If Beale Street Could Talk — as well as his award-winning television series The Underground Railroad. Most recently, Jenkins produced Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun and Raven Jackson’s All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. His upcoming directorial work includes the 2024 theatrical release of Mufasa: The Lion King. 

Nadine Labaki is a writer, director, and actor. Caramel, her 2007 debut film, opened at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and was Lebanon’s official submission to the 80th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Her next film, Where Do We Go Now?, premiered at Un Certain Regard in 2011 and won the People’s Choice Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Labaki wrote, directed, and starred in both. Most recently, she directed Campernaum, which won the Jury Prize at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. 

Anthony Shim began his career as an actor, theatre director, and producer. In 2019, Shim wrote, directed, and produced his first feature film, Daughter. His second film, Riceboy Sleeps, had its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the Platform Prize.

2023 Platform Program lineup:

Opening Night Film: Dream Scenario Kristoffer Borgli | USA (World Premiere)

Dear Jassi Tarsem Singh Dhandwar | India (World Premiere)

Great Absence Kei Chika-ura | Japan (World Premiere)

I Told You So (Te l’avevo detto) Ginevra Elkann | Italy (World Premiere)

The King Tide Christian Sparkes | Canada (World Premiere)

Not A Word (Kein Wort) Hanna Slak | Germany/Slovenia/France (World Premiere)

The Rye Horn (O Corno) Jaione Camborda | Spain/Belgium/Portugal (World Premiere)

Sisterhood (HLM Pussy) Nora El Hourch | France (World Premiere)

Shame on Dry Land (Syndabocken) Axel Petersén | Sweden (World Premiere)

Spirit of Ecstasy (La Vénus d’argent) Héléna Klotz | France (World Premiere)